dev...your points are well taken...i have not..as you so correctly point out, heard every amp. i have been a little over enthusiastic during these last few posts..i apologize if i have pissed anyone off..my room...unfortunately, 'is what it is'. i did do alot of homework and legwork prior to making the decision to purchase the 'grails'..i am very OCD. prior to the grails i had a Goldmund 29M. the 'grails' are better in every way.i can probably chalk-up my rants to 'separation anxiety' as i have not had the amps for 4 weeks as they are away getting some minor upgrades accomplished...i have a new i/c and a new powerconditioner to try out when they get back...again..sorry for anything i may have said that ruffled any feathers |
That would be fun...I wonder where dev lives.. ? Where do you live dev..? |
dev...yea..canada would be a stretch....all of your concerns regarding the amps ability to handle the qualities you mentioned are valid for any amp /amps one was considering buying.i can't speak about keith's room / setup ...although danial barnum , who used to own a very highend audio salon in illinois, thought it was superb. he is the dealer who sold keith the amps as well as his tidal speakers.i can speak about my room and the amp qualities mentioned above and i can say..as can everyone who has heard my setup / room, including doug white who owns 'the voice that is ' outside of philadelphia, that that the 'grails' easily shine with regards to all the above concerns..what you can't see in the pics of my room ..which is 25' x 18' x 25' high..is that the ceiling is an exposed redwood beamed, vaulted area where the beams are situated every 5' and extend into the room 2' at each attachment..this does create a pseudo-diffuser effect. i also have the back wall treated...bass traps in the corners and panels at the corners of each wall's
connection..all this done professionally.the entertainment center notwithstanding, the room is pretty good...could it be better..sure...but all of us, who do not have dedicated rooms , have issues..hopefully my amps will be back by this weekend as i am going into withdrawal...if you haven't read adam goldfine's, of Positive Feedback, complete review of the amps , on the Chalice website, it does go into most of the qualities the early 'grail' amps had. click on the 'full review' link at the bottom of his partial review. keep in mind that what he says was noted about what was, at that time, the prototype version. they have been significantly improved since.. |
ojdeteos....well put..!!...if you find the Sunrays' not to your complete liking i would make arrangements..if possible..to hear the Contriva Diacera-SE versions..my guess is that they will fill your space better then the Sunrays...but you just might really fall in love with the Sunrays...my room is 25' x 18' x 23' high and my CD-SE speakers are amazing in that space... |
ojdeteos....THAT'S GREAT....i am sure you will be very happy...now you know how the rest of us feel everytime we turn our systems on and play something...we're there..!!! |
Bountchacny..glad you like them .doug is a great guy who always goes above and beyond for his customers. |
'maarten is better speaker then tidal.for sure.'.....you seriously need to invest in an ear product called 'cerumenex'...brief description...it cleans the wax out of ear canals.by the way...do you the meaning of the word 'narcissist..?...YOU DO HAVE A PROBLEM... |
johngp..where do you live..if texas is not close to you maybe virginia is. i have a pair of the 'contriva diacera-ses and would be more than happy to have you over for a listen...they are amazing.. |
just a 'heads-up'..for those of you in the DC/Maryland area Chalice Audio will be using my 'Grail' amps with Tidal 'Piano Diacera' speakers and dCS products and Argento cabling. Doug Whiyte of 'The Voice That Is'.will also have a room with Tidal 'Contriva Diacera-se' speakers and other great equiptment at the Capital Audio Fest in july...13th-15th.hope some of you can make it there..should be fun.. |
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johngp.....welcome to the club.. |
just a heads-up about a cable change i have made in my system that truly has been a significant improvent.i have been reading the thread in the 'Cable' forum about the CT-1 interconnect of rick schultz..High Fidelity Cables..with interest and decided to audition a 1.5m rca cable against my Echole 'obsession' cable from my preamp to amps...the cable price is very resonable at $1600/1m and $1800 / 1.5m.this cable truly is the 'poster child' for more is not necessarily better.they are superb and bettered the 'obsession' in every way.i do not claim to know anything about the workings of the cable but what my ears hear is magic..obviously, your results my vary. i will be trying a 1m CT-1 soon against my Echole ' signature' cable from my meitner/ PWD to preamp and see if what rick says regarding the synergy is true. for now i am truly a happy camper.they are the best cables i have tried to date.. |
Epic..welcome to the family..you'll love them.. |
mountain-high.....we are all glad you like your' Instrument 8PS ' speaker. to each his/her own.. |
i had the good fortune of being able to audition 8 Stillpoint Ultra 5s with my Contriva Diacera-se speakers for the last week..WOW..what an improvement. i would not have bet that what i thought was superb sound could be improved so dramatically. everything got so much clearer and every transient became so much quicker and tighter. acoustic guitar was amazing....the depth an soundstage also improved substantially...YES..they are expensive but the improvement is just to die for. i also tried 3 of them under my Lumin Network PLayer and that,also,greatly improved the sonics. for now...i have 3 under the Lumin with 8 more coming in the near future for the speakers..i have to have them now...thanks to doug white of 'the voice that is' for the audition.... |
Maceear...actually i have carpet.the Ultra SS versions worked well on the carpet but the Ultra 5s work even better. my guess is that it is the result of better science and a larger footprint on the carpet...hope this helps |
Norm...thanks..that makes sense. i will buy another one for the Lumin Player.. |
Tbg...the USA distributer is Doug White who is great to deal with. |
I had a friend over a few weeks ago who represents one of the big names in speakers through his home business and he listened to my system for about 1/2 an hour and said that my Contriva Diacera-SEs 'weren't just fabulous ...they were superb'.....he could not get over how great they sounded. He also thinks my SETs are the best he has ever heard too. |
smodtactical...the G2 is going to be the better speaker. I am actually going up to Doug White's house for the weekend and will get a chance to listen to both.The G2 is almost twice as expensive and does have the diamond tweeters and different crossovers, as well as a totally different composition to the body. Certainly if you are interested in listening to either/both, Doug would most graciously welcome you. Great guy.You can text / email me on Saturday afternoon and I will give you my thoughts.. |
I have a very good friend who has the G2 Pianos in a room larger than yours and his system sounds great.i have Tidal Contrive Diacera -SE speakers. would never change to another brand.after getting them, if you want more bass, add 2 REL subs....you will have all you need.both of us added them ....not for the bass but for the added ambience and to let the speakers do only what they were made to do . |
